Neil asked about why some people become fans and others don't. While I agree that introvert vs extrovert makes sense in this regard, I'm not at all sure that this is all there is to it. I've pondered this question a lot as my other half protests that there is little worse, in his opinion, than a 'fan' of anything.
In his case, which may well extend to other non-fans, I can think of several possible reasons for Fan Avoidance Activities:
(1) Equating 'fan' with 'nerd' and, therefore, avoiding any activity that smells of fandom in a wish not to become (or appear) a nerd.
(2) Equating 'fan' with someone who goes out and buys lots of merchandise attached to the show, thus making Evil Corporate People lots of money.
(3) Equating 'fan' with someone who has insufficient imagination or go-for-it to do something more useful, more original or more active with his/her time than the often computer-based fan pursuits (and let's be fair to OH: his chosen pursuits do not include bowls, pubbing or whatever else whoever suggested, more the fell-running, rock-climbing, theatre-going stratum).
Tavia
Tavia said:
In his case, which may well extend to other non-fans, I can think of several possible reasons for Fan Avoidance Activities:
(1) Equating 'fan' with 'nerd' and, therefore, avoiding any activity that smells of fandom in a wish not to become (or appear) a nerd.
For a lot of us, it's way too late for that.
(2) Equating 'fan' with someone who goes out and buys lots of merchandise attached to the show, thus making Evil Corporate People lots of money.
Whereas I'd argue precisely for the anticorporate nature of fandom-- generating our own merchandise, without regard to the scenarios set out by the corporate Guys of Gisbourne.
(3) Equating 'fan' with someone who has insufficient imagination or go-for-it to do something more useful, more original or more active with his/her time than the often computer-based fan pursuits
Reality is just for people who can't handle drugs.
-(Y)
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Dana Shilling -
Tavia Chalcraft